


Just Like In The Movie

by Dynamic_Ideation



Category: Pitch (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dogs, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fluff, Meet-Cute, or maybe meet-ugly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 12:21:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9657284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dynamic_Ideation/pseuds/Dynamic_Ideation
Summary: Ginny's distraught when her dog escapes the yard. It doesn't help that she keeps running into a handsome asshole who insists on antagonizing her. Mike Lawson begrudgingly takes in a stray. While he tries to figure out what to do about it, he keeps running into the same high-strung, gorgeous woman. Hijinks ensue and sparks fly!





	

Mike Lawson was sitting in the park minding his own business. He had his grumpy face on, as usual, warning people away from sharing his favorite bench or starting any “pleasant” conversation. He should probably admit it; at this point his grumpy face was probably just…his face. But anyway, he was just sitting there, wanting to be left alone. That is, until he heard a noise in the evergreen bushes a few feet behind him. 

 _Is someone crying?_ At first he thought he was hearing things, but as he listened he heard a high-pitched, mournful sound that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. So then he was torn. He wanted to sit there and not get involved in something that had nothing to do with him. The sound got louder, though, until it could no longer be denied that something or someone was in trouble. He could only hope it wasn’t a deer or something needing to be put out of its misery. …Or a serial hiller setting a trap. They loved to hide in bushes in parks. Why would they want him, though? He was an ex-minor league pitcher turned coach who kept in excellent -and beefy-shape; not the most appealing target for an axe murderer. 

“Welp, guess I’m gonna find out.” 

He slowly approached the bushes, listening to the mournful sound. It was definitely an animal. A baby animal. The bramble scraped his face and he had to crouch low to get under the thickest of the branches. Mike saw little white paws and a shiny little black nose. It was a puppy. It was big, but still clearly young. It was spotted, like the kind from the movie.  

The puppy whimpered again, its tail thumping the ground. It lowered its head and peeked up at him in a “please don’t hurt me” way and Mike had never liked dogs but damnit, this one was tugging on his heartstrings. He reached out and at first it pulled away.

“Don’t worry, I’m not gonna hurt ya. Come on. Come on.” He used a ridiculous high-pitched baby voice. He’d promised himself he would never do this, ever. Look at him now, on his baseball-abused knees in a bush with his ass in the air, baby-talking an animal. Said animal responded, though, creeping up cautious but excited, as if it had been waiting for a hero and Mike Lawson was that hero. When it got close enough Mike laid a heavy hand on its head. It only took a few strokes of its soft ears before the puppy shot out at him, covering his face in wet puppy kisses.

“Disgusting!” Mike fell back on his ass and giggled. Flat-out, honest to God, _giggled_. 

He pulled the both of them clear of the bush and sat in the grass, the dog wriggling in his lap. Mike looked it over.

“No collar, no leash, no nothing. The conspicuous absence of a penis tells me you’re a chick. You’re friendly and you look like you haven’t missed a meal. Don’t you have an owner somewhere?” The puppy wriggled and tried to lick his face some more. “Okay, alright, easy. Not the beard. I’ve never seen anything so happy to make a friend in all my life.”

He had no way to keep her from running off so he thought of a quick solution; he put her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and set off trying to find her owner. The dog alternated between looking around and licking his face, her front paws against his chest while her hind paws scrabbled again his back, her tail wagging so hard she whacked him in the neck. Mike asked nearly everyone he saw if she was theirs, which shocked them all to no end. Number one, he was talking. To them. That never happened, ever. Second, he had a spotted, wagging puppy perched on his shoulder like he was a caveman and she was the dinner he’d just clubbed. The beard only added to the imagery. 

The puppy would sniff and wag at everybody, but never got particularly exercised over any one person. No one claimed her, nor did they know anyone missing a dog. No luck so far, but she seemed to be enjoying the ride. 

After an hour Mike was exhausted, and he was no closer to being rid of his wagging, slobbery passenger. He thought about taking her to a shelter, but the thought of it turned his stomach. An

awful lot of dogs didn’t make it out of there. He couldn't let that happen, not to this big idiot he’d stumbled upon.

“Guess you're coming home with me for the night.” The dog licked his face, trying for his mouth. He sputtered and coughed. “At least one of us is happy about it.”

 

“She’s gone,” Ginny whimpered, that same morning. She sat down hard, her ass in the dirt pile next to the Dalmatian-puppy-sized hole under her fence. She wrenched the brand-new blue collar from between the white wooden slats. The round, silver tag gleamed. _Lola_ , it read, along with Ginny’s contact information. Now someone might see the ten-month-old spotted puppy running the streets and think she was a stray, when nothing could be further from the truth. Not only was Ginny’s puppy her best friend, she was also a gift from her late father, whose death in a car accident was so recent, she could still taste the blood in her mouth from the airbag smashing her face. 

When she turned up at her best friends’ house red-faced and sniffling like they’d never seen before, they knew it must be bad. 

“I knew she loved to dig. I took step after step after step to prevent this exact thing from happening. I didn’t do enough. I’m a shitty pet parent.” Ginny waved the collar like a white flag, defeated. Evelyn offered Ginny her shoulder and tried to reassure her, but Ginny was distraught. She and Evelyn and Blip spent the entire day combing the neighborhood. They drove up and down the endless, seemingly identical blocks calling Lola’s name and inquiring with neighbor after neighbor after neighbor until they were ready to drop. There was nothing. It was like Lola never existed. The sun set with still no sign of her. 

Somewhere along the line Ginny started crying, just a leaky eye here, then a stray tear there, and suddenly she couldn’t stop crying, and she hated it because she _never_ cried, ever. People didn’t see her like this. They didn’t see Ginny Baker at the end of her rope, fighting an emotional breakdown. That, however, was exactly what was happening as Ginny lay across her couch that evening, head in Evelyn’s lap as Blip whipped them up some dinner.  

“What if something happened to her? What if she got hit by a car and she’s lying in a gutter hurt and sad and alone? What if she doesn’t make it through the night?”

Ev stroked her curls back from her face. “You microchipped her, right? She’ll turn up. There are good people in this town, and they’ll take even better care of a lost pet than they will themselves. We’ll get her back.”

Blip’s spaghetti was excellent, but she could hardly eat it. Ginny friend’s spoke pretty, flowery words of consolation to her as they left, hoping to make a dent in her grief, and Ginny put on a brave face. It really had meant the world for them to be there but she was still without her spotted, four-legged baby. They didn’t see how she broke down the moment the door clicked closed.  

 

Ginny beat the sun out of bed. She was already an early riser addicted to her morning run and yoga, but mainly she was out of her mind with worry. She had barely slept. Her house felt so quiet, so empty, without her puppy causing havoc. There had been no Lola to spread out on Ginny’s side of the bed like she owned the entire thing, and no Lola to lick her awake at five in the morning to go for walkies, and no Lola waiting for her at the window, totally estatic to have her home from her early yoga class. Ginny was miserable. She needed air and caffeine, so she headed around the corner to her favorite cafe.  

Ben the barista gave her her usual.

“How’s it going, Ginny? Everything alright?” She could see Ben was concerned. _Is it that obvious how bad I’m doing?_

“Everything’s good, Ben. Thanks for asking.”

When he called her up she saw that he’d added her favorite, a honey-walnut scone, free of charge. Ginny was so grateful for his kindness, she wanted to burst into tears again. She tipped him extra, grabbed her things and turned away from the counter just as they were calling out the next name. 

 

Mike Lawson showed up at his favorite cafe earlier than usual. He had to get up early to make sure the lost happy mutt didn’t relieve herself all over his new carpet. He complained about being up before the sun on his day off, but the truth was, he enjoyed it walking her; he’d never seen anything or anyone so excited for mundane activities in all his life. Now that she was home, tuckered out and bladder empty, it was coffee time. 

He heard his name called, so he went to grab his coffee from Ben, his favorite barista. There was a young woman in front of him facing the counter and he couldn’t help but stare. He picked up his coffee at the same time she turned around. They collided. Hot coffee exploded all over his chest. He yelped in pain and surprise.

“Oh no.“ The young woman was horrified. She immediately went for a wad of napkins.

Mike was pissed. The coffee wasn’t scalding, but it was hot enough to hurt. Plus, a brown stain spread all over his favorite _white_ Padres t-shirt. “Seriously? What the heck, are you blind, lady?

“I’m so sorry, I-“

“Wasn’t paying attention to where you were going? That’s obvious! You ruined my favorite shirt!” _Man, she’s hot for a klutz._ Tall, athletic, and curvy in the right places. He’d noticed that pear shaped ass first thing. Curly hair, perfect nut-brown skin with the prettiest mouth he’d seen in the new millennium. If not for his irritation, he would have been spitting his best game to her. 

“Listen, I’m trying to apologize, alright? How much is the shirt, I’ll pay for a new one.” Ginny felt like total shit because she should have paid closer attention, but excuse her if she wasn't on top of her game right now. She dabbed at the man’s chest with the napkins, and what a chest it was. Broad, and solid. He probably had a handsome face, but it was obscured by a thick, black beard. Still, his grumpy expression was kinda cute. As she looked him up and down, she couldn’t help but admire how the shirt clung to him. He was a big boy. Football player? Rugby player? Under different circumstances, she would have offered to peel him out of it and sponge bathe him herself. 

Mike watched her pretty hands pressing against his chest and it was somehow erotic as hell. For just a moment he thought about asking her to peel him out of it and sponge bathe him. He backed out of her reach and batted her hands away before his nipples could get hard. Or anything else.

“Just stop. Leave it alone. If you wanna pay me back, how about you just watch out next time?”

“How about next time, you stop whining like a baby about some coffee on your little blankie.” She gestured at his Padres shirt. He liked the Padres? Her favorite team. He had one good personality trait, but that was probably it. “I bet it didn’t even hurt that bad. Asshole,” she muttered as she practically the entire cafe. 

Ben called out behind her, “Ginny, I’ll clean it up and get you a replacement, it’s no big deal-“ She was already out the door. “Sorry about the mess, Mike. She’s having a rough day.”

“It’s not your fault, Ben.”

“Next time maybe a little more patience? I don't think it could hurt.”

“Have you ever known me to be a patient guy, Ben?” 

Ben gave him a look. “Not when I’ve been on shift.”

Mike rolled his eyes, fondly. “I’ll do better next time.”

 

Practice was cool. Nothing out of the ordinary. When Mike got home from work, there was the dog, so happy you would think he’d been gone for a year. He had to admit it was nice to have someone so happy he was home, especially since he’d been living alone since his wife left him. “My ex was never waiting by the door shaking her ass for me.” The joke went right over the dog’s head. She kept wagging, though, her tongue lolling lazily out of her mouth. 

“Let’s get you on another walk for the sake of my carpet.” She went nuts when she heard the word “walk”.

The walk was nice. They were gone for an hour, wandering aimlessly. Mike enjoyed the quiet company of the puppy trotting by his side, sniffing at everything, occasionally peeing on things. At times she would look up and whine, though, as if she was looking for something. Or someone. It made Mike sad. He had no idea if there was someone out there looking for her. He vowed to go back up to the pet store and ask, maybe even put up some fliers. 

He discovered new things as they wandered, things he would never seen from his car window. He found out that there was a 7-Eleven only three blocks from his house, and a community garden half a mile. There was a tiny used bookstore across from another park with nice benches he could sit and grump on. Mike even waved at some of his neighbors. Their shocked faces were worth it. 

They got home, pleasantly tuckered out. The puppy padded into his room and hopped up on his bed like she owned it. 

“You too good for the floor, Princess?” She turned in a circle and settled down, innocently peeking up at him with her big eyes. “Oh no, the last four-legged creature to lay in this bed was my ex-wife, and she’s gonna stay the last.” The dog blinked at him, but she didn’t move.

“Get down, Princess.” She stayed curled in a ball, but this time her wagging tail thumped his sheets. Mike widened his stance, crossed his thick arms over his chest, and said in his most authoritative voice, “Off.” All it earned him was more wagging. Sensing he was fighting a losing battle, Mike sighed. He stripped off his clothes and climbed into the space she’d left him, and even then she insisted on laying her head on his arm. 

“I guess this is better than you crying in the kitchen all night. You’re a pain in my ass, you know that?” She licked his hand for pets and he obliged her. Before he knew it, he was telling her about his day. 

“…And can you believe she ruined my shirt? My pride hurt more than anything. She was smitten hot, though.” He thought back to the incredible skin, the great figure, and that ass. “She’s a nut. I don’t need any more nutty women in my life. Besides you, I suppose.” He gave her one last ear scratch before cutting out the lights and sleeping better than he had in ages. 

 

Getting out of bed and doing the most basic activities seemed impossible the next morning, so Ginny called in sick. She edited MLB footage for Fox and she was completely in love with her job, so her boss knew something was terribly wrong.

“Take care of yourself,” Amelia had said, which was surprisingly caring as Amelia was a total shark. 

Ginny pulled herself together enough to continue her search. She envisioned finding Lola and being reunited with a healthy, excited, wagging puppy. She thought of Blip and Evelyn’s support, Ben’s act of kindness, and Amelia’s concern, which probably hurt her brain. She thought about the hot guy who was a complete dick at the coffee shop yesterday; he didn’t help her cause. Talk about being kicked when she was down. 

“Fuck that guy,” she growled, wishing he hadn’t been so strong and attractive, and that she hadn’t gotten a little turned on when she was feeling him up thought his wet shirt. 

She spent half the day posting fliers and asking more people, some for the second time, if they saw Lola. The signs offered a $500 reward for information leading to her safe return. Ginny didn’t really have $500; she’d spent her dad’s life insurance money on his funeral and keeping the house standing. It had needed a new roof, among other things. That was ten grand gone immediately, without even starting on the other repairs and the ten years of mortgage payments until the house was paid in full. She wasn’t complaining, though. That house was a part of them, and she would stop at nothing to keep it. Just like Lola. So she was scraping the money together and she would figure it out in order to get her dog back.

 

One little fact Mike learned quickly; “Princess” was nuts about digging. The minute he turned his back, the darn thing dug up half his victory garden. 

“Was this you? Did you dig up my onions?” He held the broken stalks and dirt-covered bulbs in his hand and shook them at her. She lowered her head and laid her ears back, her eyes going big and round and mournful. “Don’t give me that face. You’re in big trouble.” Princess laid it on extra thick, this time adding a hopeful tail wag, scooting up to him with her head hung low and her wagging, butt scraping the ground, tail thumping in the dirt. 

“Damnit, I can’t stay mad. How are you doing this to me? Listen, you stay away from this garden, you hear? No more digging!” He found an old volley ball net in his garage and strung it up around the garden hoping it would be enough to discourage her, at least until her could find a better solution. 

He called his assistant coach, Gio Salvamini, so he could bitch and moan. 

“Now I have to puppy proof. The little thing’s a monster!” 

“You don’t have to keep her, Mike. A shelter could probably find her a good home.”

“Are you kidding? You want me to send her to doggy prison? And put her on death row? I’m an asshole but I’m not cruel.” He could hear the hot girl from the coffee shop now, calling him that. She was probably right, and he probably didn’t need to come down on her as hard as he did. He still thought she was a head case, which was why his attraction to her frustrated him. She kept popping up in his mind at random times in the day. Why couldn’t he get her out of his head? 

“Just don’t get attached, Lawson. It only takes a few days and then they own you.”

“You kiddin’, Gio? Me, get attached to this four-legged nuisance? Yeah, right.”

“Whatever you say, Boss.” Obviously Gio didn’t believe him. 

“I do have to feed it though, so I gotta go. See you tomorrow.”

He couldn’t keep feeding Princess leftover nachos and hamburger meat. She loved it, but that was no excuse. Mike took his pickup over to the local pet store to buy her up some actual puppy food. Right inside the door hung a neighborhood bulletin board. Mike checked it, looking for any ads for a lost Dalmatian puppy. He saw none so he made his way to the back, where they kept the dog food.

 

To be honest, Ginny had been avoiding the pet store. She was up there all the time buying Lola food, a ridiculous amount of toys, and even unsightly pink clothing. The staff knew them both by name. She was afraid telling them what happened would start another meltdown. 

She went straight to the board, where they posted local news, pet-related gigs, animals available for adoption, and of course, lost pet fliers. She posted Lola’s dead center, where it couldn’t be missed. She checked the board for any “found” signs and there were none; it made Ginny’s lip trembled controllably so she got away from it, and fast. She went to the front to question the only clerk on duty, Julie, about seeing her dog. 

At the same time, Mike had decided on a dog food brand to try. It was some sort of holistic, all-natural, no-additives or chicken meal, large-breed puppy formula. Mike didn’t know the deal with this shit, it just sounded really healthy. It sure had a price tag like it was healthy, but he could afford it and he wouldn’t half-ass her food. He’d make sure to gripe to the dog about how expensive she was when he got home. He grabbed a pink collar, a pink leash, and a chew bone for good measure. 

“Why am I buying this shit? I’m not keeping this dog. And why the hell am I buying it in pink?”

He forgot he could bring her into a place like this. Maybe next time he’d have her come and give her opinion on all this stuff. Pick out what bone and food she liked. Dogs could do that, right? Point at stuff?

He got in line and stood. And stood. And stood. The woman in front of him was clinging on to the clerk’s attention and wouldn’t let her go. She was talking frantically about something; probably complaining. 

Mike rolled his eyes, but in the meantime, he took a good, long look at her perfect, pear-shaped ass…the girl from the coffee shop. He was shocked to see her again. It made him feel kind of tingly. He was uncomfortable with feeling tingly so he decided, since she wasn’t done being a pain in his ass, that he wasn't done being an asshole.

“Hey. Coffee shop girl. Josie. Jana. You’re holding up the line.”

She turned around and saw him, and he swore she was about to explode from the look on her face. It was almost entertaining.

“How do you- _You_. Didn’t you have enough of trying to bully me yesterday? There’s a name for people who follow you around when you don’t want them to. It’s creepy and it’s illegal, but you look like the type. Especially with that rug on your face.”

“Trust me, this is my misfortune, to be stuck behind you in another line. I’m just glad you don’t have any coffee in your hand.”

“You better be happy I don’t, because this time throwing it on you wouldn’t be an accident. It would probably turn you on, you creep. How about you wait your turn, like a grownup?” She was battle-ready today. It was kind of hot.

Mike grinned. She was making it too easy. “Who ever said I was a grownup?” 

“Definitely not me, I said you were an asshole. How about you pretend for five minutes, instead of throwing a tantrum like a five-year-old?”

“How am I supposed to get my way if I don’t throw a tantrum?”

She turned all the way around then, stomping up to him, her hands balled into fists. She was inches from his face, ready to unleash hell. “You know what-“ 

“Sir,” the clerk interrupted diplomatically, “we’ll only be a moment longer. I appreciate your patience.” She smiled a wide, calming, practiced grin. 

The girl from the coffee shop looked like she was having a hard time restraining herself, and honestly she’d gotten a little scary. Mike crossed his arms and nodded his concession.  

Ginny would have preferred never to see that coffee shop bastard again, but that time she’d been ready to let him have it. He even had he nerve to _smile_ at her, and how dare he have a handsome, roguish smile that made her want to do whatever he asked her to do? She didn’t have time to be attracted to someone she hated, and she hated his smug face. 

He was lucky Julie was such a sweetheart and Ginny didn’t want to act a fool in her store. She marched back up to the counter, and Julie told her she hadn’t heard anything but she’d keep her ear to the ground. She covered Ginny’s hand with her own and told her to be strong. 

“I’ll try,” was Ginny’s reply, and she really would try. It was the best she could do. 

When she was gone Mike set his stuff on the counter. The clerk barely blinked an eye at huge pile; people went overboard for their pets all the time. 

“Thanks for your patience. How can I help you today?” the clerk- Julie, her name tag read- asked when he stepped up. Though she was smiling it sounded hollow, and he really shouldn’t have been surprised that she wasn’t his biggest fan. 

“This stuff, and I also need a dog tag with this contact information on it.” He slid his prewritten name and cell number over to her.

“Just got a puppy, did you?”

“Yeah, it looks that way.” Mike nodded and smiled, thinking about how the goofball would wag and turn in circles when he got home.

“What name would you like on the tag?”

“Princess.”

Another night went by in which Ginny went to bed miserable and worried sick. Mike, on the other hand, found himself excited to see Princess wagging at him when he hit the door, excited to take her on what was fast becoming their regular evening walk, and glad to have her curled up next to him when he went to sleep that night. 

Ginny sat in a park not far from her house, getting some much needed air and sun. She didn’t normally come to this one; she’d brought Lola here only once or twice, so originally she’d never though to canvas it. Today she would. She was getting desperate. For now, though, she was enjoying the view of downtown San Diego.

“What are you doing here?” She looked up, startled, and saw _him_. She wished she didn’t hate him so much. She could have used the company of a decent person, and it would have been a bonus if that decent person was him. What a waste. She was too tired to argue today, so  she said nothing. She just looked away, back towards the city, as if he was invisible.

“Hello? Don’t tell me you can’t hear now.” Even though he was bitching at her, he couldn’t help but stare. Man, she was really something, looking out over the city with her chin lifted and hands folded in her lap like a photographer posed her. She looked graceful and beautiful, like a painting.

“Why are you sitting here?” He asked again. Honestly, he was sort of glad to see her. If he didn’t know any better, he would think he had a crush. Fortunately, he did know better. He didn’t have any feelings left, not after Rachel. He wouldn’t know the first thing about how to approach a woman at this point in his life. _It shows,_ he thought. 

She didn’t bother to look at him, she just spoke in a tired voice. “Is this your bench? Do you have a monopoly on it? Did you donate it? Even if you did, it’s public property.”

“It just so happens that yes, I do have a monopoly on this particular bench. You’re in violation so you have to either get up or pay a fine.”

He was trying, just a little, to joke but he saw her face crumple into the most exhausted expression he’d ever seen. It was there for only a flash before she schooled it into a hard, angry mask. Something was really bothering her, and he was sure his shitty attitude hadn’t been helping. He hoped it wasn’t to late to makes amends, but how would he even begin to do that? He’d never been good with positive expressions of emotion at the best of times. 

For Ginny, it was all too much. This man knew exactly how to get under her skin, and since he was asking for it, she was going to unload on him. She stood up and enjoyed the look of confusion-and slight worry-on his face. 

She shoved him. Mike had to take a step back to steady himself.

“The first time you ever saw me you asked me what my problem was, but you’re the one with the problem. Where do you get off being such a dick, huh? Are you that miserable in your own life? Do you need to bully grieving women to make yourself feel better? This is the real world, not the sandbox. Don’t go spreading it around to others just because you can’t handle your own loneliness. It’s your own fault.” She shoved him again, and this time he had to take a step back.

“Grieving?” He asked, dumbfounded. Ginny didn’t pause or let up.

“I don’t even know you, yet somehow you’ve been making it so much harder for me. Why can’t you just be a decent person, and treat people with a little respect?” 

She went to shove him a third time. He grabbed her wrists and held her there. She glared at him, staring him down like a cobra ready to bite. He looked into her eyes, willing her to see how sorry he was. How much her words cut him, down to the quick. He wanted to make it up to her. More than anything, in that exact moment, touching her while their interaction was charged with anger and grief and frustration, overlaid by lust and attraction, he wanted to kiss her. 

“I’m not a decent person,” Mike mumbled, surprised by how much he believed that about himself. “I could try. Want me to try?”

Ginny was no mind reader. She shook her head and sighed. “Try? There is no try. Besides, I think you’ve done enough.” Ginny moved off without another word. She was done. She had a park to canvas, anyway. Just because he was regretting his actions a little, just because he was holding her wrists gently and speaking to her softly, like he might suddenly _care_ , it didn’t erase anything. Just because she wanted to kiss him passionately and test his strength and gentle touch behind closed doors, it didn’t erase anything.

“Hey, wait-“ But she was gone. He’d willed the words to come out right but as usual, they defied him. Try as he might, Mike couldn’t help his guilt for the way he’d treated her. She’d clearly been going through a lot. Maybe she had a point about the lonely, miserable part. He had his work, he had his team, but he came home to en empty house and slept in a bed all by himself, and had for the past three years. Things were much better now, though, because he had Princess. Having a four-legged companion, someone who needed him and showed him lots of affection and snored in bed next to him, gave him more fulfillment and joy than he’d felt since even before things went downhill with his ex. Princess really helped to fill a hole in his life, and he made up his mind to keep her. 

That was, until he talked to Gio again.

“Have you checked her for a chip?”

“Chip?” Mike had never even heard of a such thing.

“Yeah, a microchip. They’re a tiny little thing that goes under the skin in case the collar gets lost. The most responsible pet owners get ‘em.”

“Why do you know so much about this?”

“My Maine Coon.”

“What the hell is a main coop?”

He could _hear_ how hard Gio rolled his eyes. “A really big cat, Lawson. Anyhow, you should get her checked for one. If she has it, you’ll be rid of the dog and you’ll make somebody’s day.”

“Yeah, I ought to do that. That’s exactly what I'm gonna do. Get back to the way life was before this crazy dog showed up.” The crazy dog had her head in his lap, sleeping peacefully as he stroked her soft ears. Mike took a sip of his beer, eyes zoning off into space. Gio didn’t catch the insincerity in his voice. Call him selfish, but Mike wasn’t sure he could give her up.

 

“Eureka, she has a chip. Meet Lola, ten-month-old Dalmatian puppy belonging to one Ginny Baker. We’ve got a phone number and an email address for her. We’ll write it down for you so you can get in contact. She’ll be over the moon to have her puppy back. She’s been searching like crazy.”

“I’ll bet. I can’t imagine how happy the dog will be.” Mike tried not to sound disappointed. He never planned on having a dog, but now Princess was his little buddy. To learn that she really did have a loving home waiting for her…he didn’t want to take her back, but he knew what he had to do. 

His poker face had obviously gone to shit, because the doc clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m sure they’ll be happy to let you visit, and there are definitely a ton of dogs in the shelter desperate for a forever home.” Mike nodded his understanding. He would do the right thing. It didn’t mean he wouldn’t be sad, though. 

“How did I get so attached to you in just three days, huh? What kind of hex did you put on me, Dog?” He took her for one last walk that evening, a whole two hours this time. They played tug with her new rope toy. He let her fall asleep with her face in the crook of his neck. She had hot dog breath, but after tonight he would be sleeping alone again so he was glad for it. He scratched behind her soft ears and drifted off to sleep. 

 

When Ginny woke up the email was waiting for her in her inbox, emboldened innocuously with the subject line “Found your dog”, and it turned her world upside down. 

Michael Lawson (PadresFan80@gmail) wrote:

 _I have your dog, Lola. She’s safe and healthy. I want to give her back to you._  

Ginny emailed him back immediately- well, as soon as she got done jumping up and down and dancing around her living room.

 

Mike heard his iPhone buzz with a notification. The response from G. Baker (PitcherGrl@gmail) was instantaneous:  

 

_You have no idea how much this means to me and how grateful I am! When can I come get her? Just let me know when and where and I’ll be there._

 

PadresFan80: _There’s a coffee shop on Grand, meet me there?_

 

PitcherGrl: _I know that shop. I’ll meet you there, no problem. Three pm?_

 

PadresFan80: _I’ll be in a gray jersey and blue cap, all Padres._

 

PitcherGrl: _You love the Padres? I didn’t think you could be any more awesome! I’ll be in a long-sleeve Padres baseball tee._

 

Mike sipped his latte as he waited to give his dog away. He was sadder than he would ever have imagined, but it would be worth it to get Prin- _Lola_ back to her loving home. Near the window he saw that hot girl that made him crazy- Jackie or Jody or whatever.  Her elbow was on the table, her chin in her hand as she scanned the crowd. The light made her glow. Waiting for somebody? Probably her boyfriend. No way a woman like her was single. Maybe one day he’d try to make it right with her. He pulled his eyes away, resuming his vigil for G. Baker. No sign of her. Sugar. He needed more of it. He got up to grab some. 

Ginny sat, but Michael Lawson was nowhere to be found. Running late, maybe? It didn’t matter. She’d wait all day if need be. Michael Lawson was a big Padres fan, too, and that won him a ton of bonus points. 

Sexy bearded asshole was there, though. He seemed to be waiting for someone. He probably had some dumb, hot girlfriend on her way to meet him. For some reason, the thought made her irritated. 

 

She wondered what he was like when he “tried”. She sure the hell wasn’t gonna find out today. She was looking for one Mike Lawson, the answer to her prayers.  

“Dang it, forgot my sugar.” She stood up. 

Mike and Ginny reached for the sugar at the same time, fingers getting tangled together.

“You again.” She rolled her eyes.

“Hey, I’m not the one who doesn’t know how to use my peripheral vision.”

“Listen, today is a special day for me, and even you can’t ruin it. Please be a grinch somewhere else.”

“Gladly.” He started to walk away.

Then Ginny noticed. “Wait, you’re wearing Padres stuff.”

“Noooo, really? It’s not even my favorite because _somebody_ ruined it.”

“You’re Michael Lawson.” 

Mike squinted. _How does she know my name?_ “The one and only.”

Ginny’s stomach dropped out. “You have my dog.”

“I- what?” It was only then that he took stock of the long-sleeved Padres baseball tee

 she was wearing, the one that somehow made her look like a femme fatale.

“You’re G. Baker? Princess-Lola is your dog?” Ginny nodded, and the water works started. 

“Oh no, please don’t.” But she did. It all made sense to him, all the tension and the spilled coffee and the shoving. He mentally slapped himself as he scrambled to hand her napkins to wipe her eyes.

“You shithead, you found my dog! Where is she?” She looked so open, so beautiful, so vulnerable in that moment, if Mike didn’t know any better he would think he just fell for her.

“In my truck. This way.” He led her out to the lot where Princess/Lola was trotting back and forth from side to side in the big pickup, poking her head of out the window, sniffing curiously. 

“Lola!” Ginny shouted. The puppy’s ears pricked up and for a moment she froze. In the next moment, she was going nuts. Mike let her out and she rocketed at Ginny, who'd crouched down on one knee. The big puppy bowled her right over, and as she got love-attacked by her dog, she smiled and laughed and looked radiant. Mike could hardly believe his eyes. She’d been beautiful before, but now she positively glowed. He couldn’t stop staring. 

As much as she hated doing it, especially in front of _him_ , Ginny wept openly. She was so happy to have her best friend, and one of the last pieces of her father, back. Lola bounced around yipping and lapping at her tears, overjoyed and unable to contain it. After the happy reunion, she stood and faced him- Michael Lawson. 

“I don’t have your five hundred dollars right now, but I swear I’ll get it to you as soon as I get paid on Friday-.”

“Five hundred dollars? Why would you give me five hundred dollars?”

“The reward.”

“Oh, no, I couldn’t accept that.”

“But it’s what I offered for her safe return. You took care of her and went through the trouble of finding me. I should pay you.”

Mike put his hands in his pocket and kicked at the asphalt. “No, you don’t owe me anything, it was my pleasure. I really got to like the little shit. Even when she was digging up my garden.” Hearing the word “garden” made Lola tuck her ears and butt down, wagging up to Mike with big, forgiveness-begging eyes. He scratched behind her ears, chuckling to himself.

“You got her all this stuff?” Ginny looked on in wonder as she examined all the food bowls, the leash and collar, the expensive food, the toys. Would somebody as surly and miserly as him do something so wonderful for a dog that wasn’t even his? 

Mike scratched at the back of his neck nervously. “I wasn’t sure if I was gonna find you, so I figured she was gonna be around for the long haul. Couldn’t let her go to the doggy detention center, right? Then my buddy told me about microchips, and you know the rest. Don’t cry again, please, I’m not good with that stuff.” 

“I know, I found out the hard way.” Ginny looked at his stupid bearded face, suddenly so sensitive and sincere, and she wondered if maybe she wasn’t in love with him, just a little bit. Tears of gratitude well up in her eyes. “I swear, I don’t ever cry.”

“Maybe that's why you’re doing such a good job of it now.” She hit him playfully.

“Ow!”

“How could you, of all people, be the person that found my dog? And how can I ever thank you?” 

“The way I figure it, I owe you. Not just ‘cause I got to share your dog, but because I was a real dick. I had no idea what you were going through, but it doesn’t matter. I had no right to be a dick. I’m not proud of how I acted. Hopefully we can leave all that in the past and start over.”

“Why, Michael Lawson, is that your version of an apology?” She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at him, her teasing smile making his face hot. Those dimples were killer. 

“It’s about as close as I ever get. I’m trying here, remember?” He mumbled, looking down at his feet. If Ginny didn’t know any better she would think she was making him feel bashful and she loved it. 

“Apology accepted. I’d be willing to forgive you anything right now.”

“Anything, huh?” His voice was laden with playful innuendo. “I’m just happy you’re happy, and that Lola is gets to be safe and at home.”

Ginny couldn't stand it anymore; she threw her arms around him. _Boy, is he solid._  

Mike barked out a laugh, wrapping one thick arm around her waist. _Holy shit, she’s stacked._ Lola barked and pranced around them, wrapping her leash around their legs. They stumbled into each other, laughing nervously as their bodies pressed together. 

 _Just like in the movie,_ Mike thought. They tried pulling apart, but it wasn’t happening. There was a moment. An intense, strange, moment. Their foreheads gently knocked together.  In the lightest of Eskimo kisses, their noses brushed. Their lips almost did, too. 

“You should come and visit us,” Ginny whispered, lips ghosting against his. “Otherwise, she’ll miss you.” 

“I won’t take that money but maybe you can repay me that cup of coffee you spilled on me, Baker.”

She smiled that beautiful smile. “Sounds like a plan, Lawson.”

 

 


End file.
